The Khao Kheow Open Zoo was overrun with Moo Deng fans on the first of four days of activities marking the hippo’s birthday. Children under 12 years old can enter the zoo, about a two hour drive from the capital Bangkok, for free throughout the extravaganza.

Moo Deng, the pygmy hippopotamus who became a viral sensation, celebrated her first birthday on 10 July with a four-day festival at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand. Her online popularity, driven by social media videos, significantly boosted zoo visitor numbers, leading to corporate sponsorships and the creation of branded merchandise.